An American in Cuenca

Last night I hung out with several people also staying at El Cafecito. We were discussing languages, a woman from Switzerland who speaks four languages, a man from Norway who also speaks four languages, a woman from Chile who speaks two, and me (I can manage in English, Spanish, Latin and American Sign Language...). The Chilean asked about the difference between up-side-down and inside-out. Hmm...not sure how to explain that one. She also mentioned that she gained over 15 pounds in the month and a half that she lived in the States. She said that she enjoyed eating all that we eat and as much as we eat but that when she returned to Chile, none of her clothes fit! She also wasn't able to smoke wherever she wanted like she can in Chile. She said that probably added to it too.

At one point, we were talking about the names used for travelers and I asked what people from the US are called. The Chilean said Norte Americanos. Claro. So I asked about Canadians and Mexicans. They're from North America as well but aren't called North Americans, just Canadians and Mexicans...hmm. What's that about? I mentioned that we call ourselves Americans and Fran got insulted. She said that South Americans are Americans just the same. It got a bit heated. My point: what other country has the word America in its name? It's not that we're the only Americans but is there another country with that actual word in the name? I couldn't think of one, nor could she. So...it's logical, not elitist. In truth, we're called gringos. There is some hostility toward the US and its people here. Understandable, I guess, the perception being that we've got it easy. We don't work for a month to be paid $200. But at the same time, it's hard to handle the assumptions made about my life just because I'm from the United States. And I think Mexico is actually the United States of Mexico, so technically, a Mexican could say, "I'm from Estados Unidos" the same as I say. Solution: I just tell people that I'm originally from Atlanta, GA and live in New York now...

Oh and one more thing. I exchanged maybe six sentences with a guy from Holland last night as well. He asked me in what language I preferred to speak and I told him, "Espanol, Ingles, cualquier linguaje. No me importa..." He took it upon himself to tell me that his professor said that "No me importa" (it's not important) is really rude and that I shouldn't say it. I asked the Chilean and it's a crock. The guy from Holland also offered up his Spanish lessons book to me. Wow. It's funny to think I've been here a month and haven't run into a problem communicating with native Spanish speakers, only with people learning to speak it themselves.